Shadow Hokage
by Nqqqqwb
Summary: The title, he had received years ago. The clothes, he finally donned. The respect... he had yet to earn. The trust... he would possibly never get. Rated T for violence and swearing, Genfic for now.


**A/N: Credit to soprano-in-waiting for the plot bunny.**

Only now did he understand how lucky he really was. It was a strange phenomenon, a Jinchuriki that felt he was lucky. For all his boasted intelligence, he had never thought his own life through enough to realize what had happened and how fortunate he had really been.

As he stood, finally donning the Hokage's clothing that he had earned years ago, preparing himself mentally for the outrage of this grandiose (for him) and what he assumed to be dreadful (for the villagers) event, he contemplated and remembered. He remembered how happy he had been, overjoyed even, at the prospect of living and training with his surrogate grandfather, Sarutobi Hiruzen. How suspicious he had been of Jiraiya before he had been told that he was Hiruzen's student. How, in a mere five years, from five to ten, he had gone through a complete metamorphosis, in strength, intelligence and personality. He remembered his former self and couldn't help but feel nostalgic and sad at the naivety and sheer excitement he had then possessed, and how different he was now.

Yes, those were happy times. He was still happy, just... a different kind of happy. Overall, he could say with ease that, while he had improved over time and was content with who he was now, he had probably been happier then.

Eleven years of age, that's how old he had been when the secret succession had taken place. Hiruzen had officially stopped being the Hokage and handed the hat to him on that hot, summer day; July 21th. He still held the date close to his heart, but not in a good way. Hiruzen had looked sad, yet relieved, when he had told the succession speech in secret. Nobody had known but Danzo, Homura, Koharu, Hiruzen, Jiraiya and the Fire Daimyo.

"Naruto, it's time." Jiraiya called, and Naruto gulped. The man he considered his father, even if he knew who his real father was, walked over to him and swung an arm around his shoulder, "Hey, it'll be fine."

"But what if it will not?" Naruto answered, feeling anxious, "I don't think I'm prepared to be an unloved Hokage." He shifted, suddenly feeling like a small child on his way to his first day of the Academy.

"Hiruzen wouldn't have handed you the hat if he knew you'd be like this." Jiraiya told him with a stern face, "Regardless of the outcome of this event, regardless of if they like you or not, regardless of if they trust you or not, you are going to love them, you are going to protect them, and you are going _lead_ them. If not, than we'll find another candidate."

"No." Naruto answered, determined once again and hating himself for how he had been mere seconds ago. He straightened out his back and said three words: "I'll do it."

"That's the Naruto I know!" Jiraiya grinned and pat him on the back, "Now go get 'em, Champ!"

"-He already protects you day and night, let's let him do it in public!" Naruto heard, finally paying attention to the speech being held outside, on the balcony, "His father was a hero, his mother was a hero, who's to say he won't be?" he heard Homura shout.

He walked forward, resolute to fill out his role. He grabbed the hat off the wall, putting it on, and strode with a confidence unmatched.

"He has been trained by the Gama Sennin and the Sandaime Hokage, who is a better candidate for this role?"

Right, left, right, left. Even his feet felt it; this was the moment, the moment he needed, the moment he would make his father, his surrogate grandfather, his surrogate father and his mother proud. He would do this, and he would succeed.

"Citizens of Konoha, welcome your Godaime Hokage! Son of Namikaze Minato and Uzumaki Kushina, Jinchuriki of the Kyubi no Yoko! Namikaze-Uzumaki... Naruto!"

And when he finally reached the balcony, finally looked down upon the shocked crowd, he did so with a warm smile and a confident shine in his eyes, wanting nothing more than to see his village prosper, and his citizens live. He took off his hat, allowed his blonde hair to wave in the wind, and took in the attention he now received, the attention he had craved since he was little.

And then, they went mad.


End file.
